Mechanical pencil



Feb. 14, 1939.. P. s. HAUTON MECHANICAL PENCIL l l llll Original Filed Jan. 7, 1935 INVENTOR PAUL S. H AUTO N FY 5 K I ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 14, 1939 MECHANICAL PENCIL Paul S. Hauton, Atlanta, Ga.

Application January 7, 1935, Serial No. 681 Renewed June 25, 1938 14 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical pencils having a plurality of relatively rotatable parts, actuating housed lead feed mechanism.

An object of the invention, among others, is

to afiord a generally improved, simplified and economical structure which may be expeditiously assembled, and in which the proper relation of the parts will be eificiently maintained.

Comprehensively stated, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises relatively rotatable manually operable exterior parts, each secured either directly or indirectly to a threaded helix or slotted carrier.

More specifically stated, the illustrated em- !5 bodiment of the invention comprises a pencil casing, a slotted carrier tube with one end secured within a guide tip and extending co-axially within the pencil casing, and a relatively rotatable helix surrounding the slotted carrier tube and driven by a member having one end journalled in one end of the casing in such a way as to afiord a braking action to prevent back feed" of the lead by the pressure applied to the lead during the writing operation and the other end being 2 extended to form or receive a manually operable exterior part.

Other characteristics and objects of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that this embodiment merely serves as an illustration of the underlying principles of the invention so that they may be readily comprehended by those skilled in the art and is not intended as limiting the invention to the specific form disclosed therein.

In said drawing: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of one form of pencil illustrating my invention. 40 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section of a modification at the eraser end of the pencil, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, partly fragmentary detail view of the tip end of the pencil.

Continuing now by way of a more detailed description, the housing or casing of the pencil in the illustrated embodiment comprises a plurality of manually operable relatively movable exterior parts A and B, the part A being preferablyextended beyond the pencil proper to also form a convenient sleeve or ferrule A to support an eraser. A cup-shaped member C is fitted within the ferrule A and to one end of the eraser C, and may be retained in place by spinning the end of the ferrule to form an annular inwardly;

projecting stop flange D having an opening of sumcient size to receive the eraser, but small enough to stop the cup. The eraser and cup, may be conveniently introduced when the ferrule is removed. The end A" of the manually operable exterior part A opposite to the extended 5 part A when in place has a frictional driving fit with preferably three circumferential disposed longitudinally extending ribs E formed by fiuting one end of a driving sleeve E in such a way as to produce an enlarged end. The extreme end E" of the reduced end F of the driving sleeve may be fitted to the outside of a helix G. This helix may be conveniently formed by tightly coiling a fiat strip having a flanged edge to form an internally threaded tube, loosely coiling a flat strip, the spaced turns afiordlng the thread, rolling a thread in a seamless tube, or otherwise. In order to afiord a positive drive between the drive member E and the helix G, an annular filler block K is forced into the space between the drive member E' and the threaded helix G, although instead of spinning over the end E" of the drive member E the reduced end F might be reduced to form a sleeve fitting. the helix. An annular stop or bearing flange or astragal for the drive memberE is afforded by a washer L which may be conveniently formed by forcing the washer over the reduced end of the drive member against the ribs. The reduced end of the drive member E is journalled with'a friction or drag fit in a bearing M fitted within one end of the manually operable part B, and having its upper end N spun over the upper edge of part B to afiord a bearing for the relatively rotatable abutting annular stop bearing. Coaxially lo- 35 cated with respect to the helix G is a. longitudinally slotted lead grip sleeve carrier P, the relative rotation of the internally threaded feed tube and the slotted carrier P ellecting back and forth travel of a tubular lead grip sleeve Q having a wing .Q' engaging the threads of the helix G and constrained to move in the slot of the slotted tube, as will be readily understood. An ejector pin R having a wing R, the latter also engaging the threads of the helix G, and moving in the slot of the carrier, has its operating pin S'longitudinally slidable within the lead grip sleeve and serving to eject short lengths of lead from the grip sleeve when the lead follower wing is advanced toward the wing of the lead grip sleeve, when the latterv is arrested at the tip end of the pencil.

The end of the slotted tube P remote from the writing end is held to freely rotate against the end of the helix G by a washer 'l and the distortedextendedendT' aswillbereadilyunderstood, while the other end of the slotted tube 1? issecuredtoaleadguidetipUhaving atapered exposed tip U and reduced end or sleeve V 5 conveniently press fitted in the bore V' of the thickened end of the manually operable part B with its shoulder W abutting against the lower upper edge of the tapered portion of the part Bandformingasmoothtaperatthewriting end of the pencil. The slotted carrier tube P has a preferably circumferential groove X into whichtheendofthereducedpartvofthetip is crimped, the crimping forming an annular key if to prevent the part B from moving longitudinally with respect to the tip. The reduced end V also has a longitudinal oifset inward forming a flute. (more particularly shown in Fig. 3), on the outside and a key V" enga n the longitudinal slot of the slotted tube on the inside to prehventrotationofthecarrierwithrespecttothe tin.

Moreover the drive member, instead of being journalled in a separate member as in the construction shown in Fig. 1, may have a plurality of g circumferentially disposed outwardly projecting spring leaves Z" formed by suitably slitting and bending the material of the drive sleeve so that the leaf ends frictionally bear on the inside of the manually operable exterior part B to retard go movement of the lead feed mechanism and jourml the drive sleeve in the member B. The drive member is also formed with an annular bead z'" which rides directly on the upper edge of the part B and serves to prevent the helix 35 from being pushed into the barrel or part B.

rier tube as at '1" I claim:

1. A mechanical pencil comprising a plurality of manually operable pencil parts, a hollow tip having a portion located within one of said parts,

50 a slotted carrier tube having oneend located within the hollow tip, a helix surrounding the slotted carrier tube and movable relatively thereto, the helix being extended within certain of the manually operable pencil parts, and means a to apply a braking pressure on the helix to prevent pressure of the writing lead from rotating the helix and carrier tube relatively to each other.

2. A mechanical pencil comprising a plurality of manually operable pencil parts, a hollow tip having a portion located within one of said parts,

a slotted carrier tube having one end snugly fitted within the hollow tip, a helix surrounding the slotted carrier tube and movable relatively thereto, the helix being extended within certain of the manually operable pencil parts, and means to rotatably support one end of the helix, in one oi the manually operable parts to prevent pressure on the writing lead-from rotating the helix and carrier tube relatively to each other.

.3. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing part, a hollow tip having a portion located within oneendofthecasingpartandataperedexposed portion, a slotted carrier tube having one end snugly fitted within the hollow tip, a helix sur- 1; roimding the slotted carrier tube and movable relatively thereto, and means comprising a friction bearing immovable relatively to the casing part to rotatably support the helix in the said casing part to prevent pressure on the writing lead from rotating the helix and carrier tube relatively to each other.

4. A mechanical pencil comprising upper and lower manually operable exterior casing parts, one of said parts having a tapered end, a hollow tip having a portion located within said tapered end, a slotted carrier tube having one end snugly fitted within the hollow tip, a helix surrounding the slotted carrier tube and movable relative thereto, and a drive member having one and directly secured to the helix and journalled within.

the lower casing part, the drive member having a part extending beyond the manually operable exterior part within which it is journalled.

6. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing formed of upper and lower parts, the lower casing part having a tapered end, a tip having a reduced end located within the tapered part of the casing and having an exposed tapered end, the reduced end having an axial bore, a slotted carrier tube having one end fitted within the reduced end and keyed to the tip, a helix surrounding the slotted carrier tube and movable relatively thereto, a drive member having one end directly secured to the helix and journalled within the lower casing part, the drive member having a part extending into the lower casing part within which it is journalled.

6. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing having a tapered end, a tip having a reduced end fitted in the tapered end of the casing, the reduced end having an axial bore, a slotted carrier tube having one end fitted within the bore of the tip, the reduced end having an annular crimp engaged in a circumferential groove in the slotted carrier tube to lock the latter to the tip, a helix surrounding the slotted carrier tube and movable relatively thereto, a drive member secured to the helix and frictionally journalled within the casing, the drive member having a part extending beyond the manually operable exterior part within which it is Journalled, and means for securing the slotted carrier tube against rotation relatively to the tip.

7. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing having a tapered end, a tip having a reduced and fitted in the tapered end of the casing, the fitted end having an axial bore, a slotted carrier tube having one end fitted within the bore of the tip and having a circumferential groove, the reduced end having an annular crimp engaged in the groove to lock the slotted carrier tube to the tip, a helix surrounding the slotted carrier tube and movable relatively thereto, a drive member secured to one end of the helix and frictionally iournalled within the casing and having a stop bearing flange adapted to abut against the upper edge of the casing, and means for securing the slotted carrier tube against rotation relatively to the tip.

8. A mechanical pencil comprising a manually operable exterior part, a casing relatively rotatable to said part tapering at one end and having an axial bore in the tapering end, a lead guide tip having a reduced end press fitted within the axial bore of the tapered end of the casing, a slotted carrier tube having one end secured to the reduced end of the lead guide tip, a threaded helix rotatable relatively to the slotted carrier tube, a drive member secured to one end of the helix andiournalledwithinoneendofthecasing and having a stop bearing flange abuttingagainst the upper end of the casing, an end of the drive member being fluted to aiIord a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs adapted to frictionally engage the manually operable exterior part to drive the drive member and the helix relatively to the casing, tip and slotted carrier tube.

9. A mechanical pencil comprising a tip having a bore and a slotted carrier tube having one end fitted in the bore, the tip having an annular crimp to engage in a circumferential groove in the slotted carrier tube to lock the tip and tube together.

10. In a mechanical pencil, a tip having a tapered portion and a reduced end, the reduced end having an axial bore, a slotted carrier tube having one end fitted in the axial bore of the reduced end and having a partially annular groove, the end of the reduced end having an annular crimp engaged in the groove, and a longitudinal oiIset on the reduced end engaging the slot of the slotted carrier tube.

11. A mechanical pencil comprising a two-part casing, a helix substantially coextensive with the casing parts, a drive member secured to one end of the helix and frictionally-journalled within one casing part and having a bearing fiange adapted to abut against the adjacentend of the other casing part.

12. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a helix substantially coextensive with the casin and a drive member having a reduced end fitting one end of the helix and an enlarged end having an annular bearing flange adapted to abut against an adjacent portion of the other casing part to afford a stop and an extended part having a plurality of longitudinally disposed ribs.

13. A mechanical pencil comprising a two-part casing, a helix substantially coextensive with the casing, a drive member having a reduced end fitting one end of the helix, a bearing fitted in the end of one casing part and frictionally fitting the reduced end of the drive member, the drive member having an enlarged end engaged in the adjacent end of the other casing part and an annular bearing flange, and a plurality of longitudinally disposed ribs on the enlarged end for frictional engagement with the wall of the other casing part.

14. In a mechanical pencil, a two-part casing, a tapered tip engaged in a correspondinglytapered end of one casing part, a slotted carrier tube substantially coextensive with both casing parts, means for securing the slotted carrier tube against movement relatively to the tip, a helix on the slotted carrier tube and extending into both casing parts, a drive member having a reduced end portion engaged in one casing part and with the helix, the other end of the drive member engaged in the other of the casing parts, a friction bearing engaged about the reduced end portion of the drive member, and aplurality of longitudinal ribs on the other end of the drive member in frictional engagement with the wall or the other casing part.

PAUL S. HAU'ION. 

